How Finnick saved Annie A Hunger Games Fiction
by bltshop
Summary: Behind the scenes story of Finnick and Annie during the 70th Hunger Games.


He stood there in the crowded room. All he could do was hold his breath. The room seemed stuffy and hot with the outrageously dressed, chattering men and women. What most of them did not realize is he not only knew how each of them looked under their 'fashionable' clothing, but he also knew all of their dirtiest secrets. None of that matter now. None of it. Not as long as the giant screen portrayed the dire situation of his one true love. The only person who matter. His Annie. He watched as the camera followed her and her fellow tribute from their district as they transverse the rocky terrain of the arena. They had been hiking for a couple hours now. The games had been quiet. Too quiet. He thanked God nothing had happened to his two tributes. To his Annie. However, he could sense the restlessness and inattentiveness of the capitol citizens who surrounded him. No one liked a boring game - well, THEY did not like a boring game. His whole body snapped out of his statuesque position as two slender fingers pinched his butt cheek.

"Finnick, my dear! Stop looking so serious," a capitol woman sarcastically jested, "It will cause wrinkles to form on that beautiful face of yours!" He grinned at the woman as she crossed the room. Her face may have been beautiful, but whatever may have been natural beauty was covered with a heavy layer of powder and a thick coat of eyeshadow and eyeliner. She was the current gamemaker's wife, and he felt as he was more acquainted with her than he would have liked. He watched her as she joined a group of equally painted up women.

"Dane, what do you think those walls are for?" His heart jumped as he heard his Annie's voice emit from the screen. Annie and Dane had begun to climb a rocky slope towards a vast thicket of trees. The arena was mainly a flat rocky landscape except for one small arborous plateau towards the edge of the arena which was encompassed by a thousand foot wall.

"Don't know. Hopin' the games don't last long enough to find out," Dane shrugged off Annie's inquiry, "We better keep going and try to find some water." Dane and Annie continued to climb the slope and enter the small forest at the top of the plateau.

He continued to watch them as they made their way deeper into the forest. Suddenly, the camera cut away from Annie and her tribute. No! He internally shrieked. He did not care about anyone else. Just Annie. His Annie. Two tributes appeared on screen - the brawny male tribute from District One and the savage female from District Two. He remembered the two had formed an alliance at the beginning, and they had always been guarding the cornucopia located on the opposite side of the arena from the plateau. When did they make their way to the forest? His heart began to race. He had been too focused on Annie to pay attention to those two. He watched the faces of the two tributes as they twisted in delight upon hearing the footsteps of nearby tributes. The game had been too quiet. Too quite. Not enough blood. God, Annie! Run Annie! Run! He watched the tributes as they ran armored towards Annie and Dane. She is too weak. They will snap her neck. Please Annie! Run Annie! The camera cut to Annie and Dane. Dane heard the two tributes before the tributes were in visible range. Dane began to mouth to Annie. What was he mouthing? Run. He is mouthing 'Run'. Oh God! Run.

Annie began to run with Dane close behind. The two tributes were gaining fast. He saw Dane grab Annie and begin to push her up a tree. He watched as Annie climb higher and faster than he thought she had it in her. She reached the top of the tree and straddled the top branch. He watched as she looked down and reached out to a Dane who was not there. Where was Dane? Why hadn't he climbed up behind here? A crushing weight sank on his soul.

"You protect her!" He remembered yelling the night before the games started. He had cornered Dane trying to make Dane promise to protect Annie at all costs. "You protect her as long as you can!" He could only remember shaking Dane and then falling to his knees sobbing. Dane had refused to make any promises then to be kept now.

He watched as the camera panned to the bottom of the tree that cradled Annie. Dane had run away from the tree where he was carrying the only weapon available to him - a large stick he had found and sharpened with a rock during the previous days. The two tributes had caught up to Dane. It happened so fast. The brawny tribute lunged for Dane with an axe which Dane was able to dodge causing the male tribute to tribute busting his nose open on the hard ground. The savage tribute began to rapidly thrust her sword at Dane which was successfully evaded. Increasingly enraged, she let out a blood curdling scream increasing the ferocity of her jabs. Dane kept dodging until her sword caught his leg. Dane winced as blood erupted from the fresh wound. Tripping backwards and dropping his makeshift spear, Dane was caught in a bear grasp of the male tribute. Dane began to struggle to no effect. The male tribute forced Dane on his knees and grabbed Dane by his hair exposing his neck. The female shrilled in delight, raised her sword, and brought it across Dane's neck.

Not this way, Dane. Not this way. His heart sank as he watched the two tributes dismembered Dane's body. The female painted her face with blood as the male dragged off pieces of the body in random directions. The female took Dane's severed head and began to follow her ally. She stopped. Don't look up. Please do not look up. He began to fear for Annie. Had the female tribute seen her? Please God, keep her safe. I will do anything. Please. The female grunted and continued on.

He gave a sigh of relief. He watched as the camera cut to some other tributes on the other side the arena building a fire. He did not care. All he wanted to see was Annie's smiling face. Safe from danger. Finally, the camera cut back to Annie in the tree. His heart skipped a beat. She was safe. She sat straddling the same branch. Motionless. Her light sea-green eyes turned into black coals. Mouth gapped open. She was a frozen statue. Had Annie seen the bloody end of Dane? Questions raced across his mind. His heart sank. He realized though she may emerge from the games alive, a part of her would always be dead.

He tried not to cry. Not here. Not surrounded by fake faces. He was in a prison of his grief with guards who viciously smiled at him through caked faces. He felt a pat on his back.

"Better luck next time!," the grimacing mentor from District One laughed in passing. No. He needed more than luck if he was going to save whatever was left of his Annie.

He crossed the room joining the group of wickedly painted ladies surrounding the gamemaker's wife.

"Oh, Finny! You decided to join us!" she giggled as she goosed him.

"Mind if we talked in private?" He slid his hand down her back causing her to release another one of her odious giggles. She nodded. He tipped his head to the painted women, "Ladies." He led her to a private booth in the viewing room.

"Got more time to play now that you have half the tributes?" she purred as she slid towards pressing her body against him.

"Listen. I need you to do me a favor." he wrapped his arm around her knowing this may increase his chances of her complying.

"A favor will cost the usual price." she slid her hand up his leg.

"I know." He nestled his head in hear powdered hair. "I need your husband to fix the games so my last tribute will win." There was a pause.

"You can't be serious." She huffed. "That would be treason! The cost would be my husband's and MY head. Would my Finny be happy if my head was sliced off like your last tribute?" He would be pleased with that image if it meant his Annie would be safe. His silence enraged her. "I WILL NOT DO SUCH A THING."

"But you forget one thing."

"AND WHAT IS THAT?"

"I know your secret…"


End file.
